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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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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: race · mate · patient · bank · pit · dip · bulb · lash

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bank — of a river
  10. race — the arms race
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. race — humankind
  21. race — a contest
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. dip — a sauce

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