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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: bulb · pitch · wake · cue · lean · lash · stand · stick

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cue — a hint
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lean — thin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cue — a signal
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lean — to bend
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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