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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 124 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — a stone
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cue — for pool
  10. file — a document
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lash — to lash out

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