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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mark — a grade
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mark — a trace
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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