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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.

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: stand · tube · lash · row · bass · bulb · charge · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bass — the fish
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — low music
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. row — to paddle
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. row — a line
  24. bulb — for light

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