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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: fine · kick · safe · wave · bulb · chair · lash · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. fine — high quality
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. kick — in football
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fine — all right
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. kick — a thrill

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