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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mate — a friend
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. stand — to bear
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. chair — a leader
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rest — what's left

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