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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bound — certain
  4. mate — a friend
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bound — tied together
  7. net — for catching
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. snap — to click
  10. suit — clothes
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bound — obliged
  14. mate — to breed
  15. net — after costs
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. net — in sport
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. suit — in cards

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