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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: season · craft · lash · chair · bass · bulb · lie · suit

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — of the year
  3. suit — clothes
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bass — low music
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chair — a leader
  14. season — in sport
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. suit — to fit
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. craft — boats

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