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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.

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: squash · wake · bulb · ball · lash · fall · jam · march

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. march — music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fall — the season
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bulb — for light
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. march — the month
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. squash — the sport
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. march — the month
  15. ball — a great time
  16. fall — to drop
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bulb — for light
  22. squash — to crush
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wake — a trail

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