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

Word bank: stand · lash · bulb · stick · chip · wave

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. chip — to eat
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. chip — for betting

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