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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bank — for money
  3. snap — to click
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — of a river
  12. file — a document
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — music
  17. file — a tool
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pitch — completely

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