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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: bear · face · pop · plane · ground · lean · bulb · lash

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. ground — the earth
  8. face — to confront
  9. lean — thin
  10. ground — crushed
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pop — soda
  20. ground — a position
  21. pop — music
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. plane — in geometry

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