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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · spring · mate · deal · saw · shower · key · bulb

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. key — for a lock
  9. spring — of water
  10. key — in music
  11. mate — a friend
  12. shower — rain
  13. deal — to handle
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spring — the season
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bulb — for light

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