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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. present — the time now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rest — a break
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fall — to drop
  8. craft — boats
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rest — what's left
  13. present — there
  14. board — to get on
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. craft — a skill
  17. board — a committee
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. fall — the season
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. present — a gift

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