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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: content · kick · lash · ground · bulb · bear · pass · leaves

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. content — happy
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. content — the amount
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. kick — in football
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. ground — the earth

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