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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. can — a tin
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. can — a tin
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. capital — money
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. board — to get on
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a committee
  22. capital — a city
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lash — to lash out

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