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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. staff — a stick
  6. tube — a container
  7. staff — employees
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stand — to bear
  24. staff — employees

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