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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 120 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. object — to protest
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. object — an aim
  12. shower — to wash
  13. board — to get on
  14. ground — a position
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. scale — size or range
  17. snap — to click
  18. shower — rain
  19. object — a thing
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. board — a committee
  24. scale — 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