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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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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: safe · firm · row · bulb · hand · leaves · fan · lash

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — steady
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. hand — help
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. row — to paddle
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. firm — decided
  18. bulb — for light
  19. row — a line
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — a company
  23. hand — in cards
  24. leaves — to go away

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