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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rule — government
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rule — a law
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. tube — a container
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mug — a face
  13. last — final
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pop — soda
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pop — to visit
  21. last — to go on
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. last — finally
  24. mouse — the animal

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