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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: kick · lash · season · pound · ruler · firm · game · bulb

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. game — wild animals
  9. kick — in football
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. season — of the year
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. season — in sport
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. game — a match
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. season — to add flavour

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