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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. present — the time now
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rule — government
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. rule — a law
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. net — after costs
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. net — for catching
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bulb — for light
  23. plane — in geometry
  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