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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bulb — for light
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chip — for betting
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rest — a break
  21. hand — help
  22. rest — what's left
  23. snap — to click
  24. key — in music

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