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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pop — soda
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. present — a gift
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bear — the animal
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. present — the time now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pop — music
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. board — a committee
  24. arm — part of the body

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