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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. field — a subject
  4. season — in sport
  5. object — to protest
  6. season — of the year
  7. sharp — clever
  8. field — for sport
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. field — farmland
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. object — an aim
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. sharp — with an edge

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