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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: chip · lash · object · wound · bulb · pitcher · wake · firm

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — steady
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. object — a thing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. firm — decided
  20. object — an aim
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. firm — a company
  24. object — to protest

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