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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: chair · bulb · row · wave · bear · jam · lash · pit

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bulb — for light
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bear — the animal
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lash — to lash out
  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