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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · bear · season · fork · court · track · lash · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. track — a song
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bulb — for light
  11. court — for sport
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. season — of the year
  15. fork — in a road
  16. season — in sport
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bulb — for light
  20. track — a path
  21. court — of a king
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. court — of law
  24. lash — an eyelash

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