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

Word bank: mate · stick · lash · snap · bulb · temple · season · arm

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. season — of the year
  16. mate — a partner
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. season — in sport
  19. bulb — for light
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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