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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: pitcher · pit · bulb · lash · march · toast · leaves · mark

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. march — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pit — in a race
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pit — a hole
  17. march — the month
  18. toast — bread
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. march — the month
  22. mark — a grade
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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