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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mate — to breed
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bulb — for light
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mate — a partner
  15. snap — to click
  16. wake — a trail
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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