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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. firm — decided
  5. bound — certain
  6. bulb — for light
  7. firm — a company
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cap — a lid
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fall — to drop
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bound — tied together
  19. cap — a hat
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fall — the season
  22. firm — steady
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lash — to lash out

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