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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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468
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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mark — a grade
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mate — a friend
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — boats
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — a skill
  24. wind — to turn a key

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