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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.

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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 · present · cue · stand · fall · bulb · deal · content

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. content — the amount
  4. present — there
  5. content — happy
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. present — the time now
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. present — a gift
  24. cue — a hint

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