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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. present — a gift
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. fall — to drop
  11. present — the time now
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — there
  18. fall — the season
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. wind — moving air
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bulb — for light
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. racket — for tennis

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