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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hand — in cards
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hand — help
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. pitch — completely
  20. court — for sport
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — the tool
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lash — an eyelash

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