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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. present — there
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. shower — rain
  6. present — the time now
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bulb — for light
  10. board — to get on
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. present — a gift
  15. board — a committee
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. fan — a supporter

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