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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pass — to succeed

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