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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bulb · mouse · toast · saw · season · content · date · lash

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. content — happy
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. content — the amount
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. saw — the tool
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — the fruit
  24. toast — bread

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