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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. capital — money
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ground — a position
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. degree — from a university
  16. stand — to bear
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. capital — a city
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. sharp — clever
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — an amount

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