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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rest — what's left
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. content — happy
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. snap — to click
  17. rest — a break
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. content — the amount
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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