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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. march — music
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bound — certain
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — to rob
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bound — tied together
  24. season — in sport

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