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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: craft · fall · object · suit · bulb · lash · content · wound

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. craft — a skill
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. suit — to fit
  5. fall — the season
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wound — an injury
  14. suit — in cards
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. content — the amount
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wound — an injury
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — happy
  23. craft — boats
  24. object — a thing

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