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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · bulb · row · press · date · rock · lash · firm

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. press — to push
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bulb — for light
  10. file — a tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. press — a publisher
  13. firm — a company
  14. date — the fruit
  15. file — a document
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. press — newspapers
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rock — music
  24. row — a line

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