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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. march — the month
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. march — music
  14. face — to confront
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pop — soda
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pop — music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. march — the month
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bulb — for light

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