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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — part of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. land — a country
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stand — to bear
  16. face — to confront
  17. land — ground
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. can — a tin
  20. land — to come down
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. can — to be able to
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. tube — a container

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