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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. net — after costs
  15. rule — government
  16. plane — a tool
  17. net — for catching
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — a law
  23. bear — the animal
  24. net — in sport

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