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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. season — of the year
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. net — in sport
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bark — to shout
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. tube — the underground
  23. season — in sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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