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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — a permit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. fork — in a road
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. shower — rain
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. shower — to wash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lash — an eyelash

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