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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — to fit
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. lean — to bend
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. march — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lean — thin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. march — the month

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