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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · bulb · bear · chip · lash · fan

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lash — to lash out

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