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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pit — in a race
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. kick — in football
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. patient — calm and waiting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com