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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pop — soda
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ball — a dance
  8. present — the time now
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. present — there
  12. lean — thin
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. present — a gift
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pop — to visit

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