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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lean — to bend
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lean — thin
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bulb — for light
  9. spring — a coil
  10. firm — steady
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — in control
  14. cap — a hat
  15. spring — of water
  16. firm — decided
  17. charge — a price
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. firm — a company
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cap — a lid
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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