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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. tear — from crying
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tear — to rip
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. march — music
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bound — obliged
  16. board — to get on
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — tied together
  19. board — a committee
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. bound — certain
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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