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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. vault — a safe
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cold — an illness
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cold — not warm
  24. rush — hurry

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