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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. suit — in cards
  3. firm — steady
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wind — moving air
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bat — the animal
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — decided
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. suit — to fit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. calf — of the leg

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