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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — a group
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ground — a position
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — thin
  13. club — for golf
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cue — for pool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ground — the earth
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cell — in biology
  24. lean — to bend

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