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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: lash · arm · chair · craft · fork · bulb · mark · racket

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. fork — in a road
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mark — a grade
  11. craft — a skill
  12. chair — a leader
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bulb — for light
  18. craft — boats
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. arm — a part of something
  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