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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: last · bulb · snap · bay · tube · net · key · chip

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. last — final
  5. net — for catching
  6. bulb — for light
  7. net — after costs
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. tube — a container
  10. last — to go on
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. net — in sport
  14. tube — the underground
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chip — to eat
  19. last — finally
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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