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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  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. land — ground
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — to come down
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. snap — to click
  15. lean — thin
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. suit — in cards
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. land — a country
  23. suit — clothes
  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