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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
468
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: object · ball · key · snap · fall · saw · bank · bulb

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fall — to drop
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bank — of a river
  5. key — in music
  6. snap — to click
  7. fall — to drop
  8. key — for a lock
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bank — for money
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fall — the season
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — to protest

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