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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: pit · squash · craft · wave · mine · lash · hand · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. squash — the sport
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mine — for digging
  16. craft — boats
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. hand — help
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. craft — a skill

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