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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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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: lash · sharp · hide · rush · bulb · pitch · band · deal

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — clever
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. band — a music group
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. band — a ring
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bulb — for light
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. rush — to hurry

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