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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. stand — to bear
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. craft — boats
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bark — to shout
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stand — on your feet

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