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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 120 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: stand · game · can · suit · bulb · kick · object · lash

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. object — a thing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. game — wild animals
  18. object — to protest
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stand — to bear

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