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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.

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: spring · lash · season · leaves · capital · stick · bulb · lie

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. season — in sport
  5. spring — of water
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bulb — for light
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. season — of the year
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — money
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. capital — a city
  24. bulb — for light

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