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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rule — government
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bark — to shout
  8. game — wild animals
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rule — a law
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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