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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — to paddle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. stand — to bear
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. tear — to rip
  24. row — a line

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