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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mate — a partner
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cold — not warm
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bass — low music

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