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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. firm — a company
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. firm — steady
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bulb — for light
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rest — a break
  17. firm — decided
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bore — to drill

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