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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bank — of a river
  13. press — newspapers
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bulb — for light
  16. press — to push
  17. perch — the fish
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cue — a hint
  23. roll — a list
  24. lash — an eyelash

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