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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 124 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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. content — the amount
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ball — a great time
  11. suit — clothes
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. content — happy
  14. stand — to bear
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bulb — of a plant

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