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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 124 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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. snap — to click
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mark — a grade
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. net — for catching

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