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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. face — to confront
  4. present — there
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — part of the head
  11. present — a gift
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wind — moving air
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. face — to point toward
  20. present — the time now
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wind — moving air
  23. craft — boats
  24. nail — for a hammer

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