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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. content — the amount
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. content — happy
  24. bulb — of a plant

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