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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. clip — a video
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. board — a committee
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — for light
  18. clip — to cut
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. clip — for paper
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rush — hurry
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bank — of a river

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