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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rest — a break
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. fall — the season
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. fork — in a road
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wax — for sculpting

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