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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. swing — to play on
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. current — of water
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wax — to grow
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. swing — in golf
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. current — electric
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. current — happening now
  22. swing — music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. spring — the season

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