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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: rash · present · stand · bat · bulb · rest · mark · pit

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. present — a gift
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rash — a series
  7. present — there
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. present — the time now
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bat — the animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rest — a break
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. bat — for baseball

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