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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. snap — to click
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — for catching
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. net — after costs
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. net — in sport
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — in music
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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