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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. club — a group
  9. chip — to eat
  10. club — for golf
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rest — a break
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lean — thin
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bulb — for light

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