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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: cabinet · lash · swing · squash · foot · bulb · mark · lean

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — thin
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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