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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: bulb · bark · lean · lash · wake · mug · season · ruler

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a face
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. season — of the year
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bark — to shout
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. season — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — to bend
  24. wake — a trail

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