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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: bulb · tube · spell · present · lash · land · snap · staff

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bulb — for light
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. staff — a stick
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. present — there
  10. snap — to click
  11. bulb — for light
  12. land — ground
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. staff — employees
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. present — the time now
  18. staff — employees
  19. tube — a container
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. spell — letters
  22. land — to come down
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. present — a gift

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