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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.

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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: net · mate · bay · court · bulb · wind · mug · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. mug — a face
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mug — a cup
  7. net — in sport
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. court — of a king
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wind — moving air
  13. court — of law
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. net — after costs
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mate — a partner
  24. court — for sport

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