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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 116 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: stick · rest · straw · bulb · lash · cabinet · stand · fine

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fine — all right
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rest — a break
  24. lash — to lash out

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