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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — a partner
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bank — for money

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