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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 116 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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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: pop · fan · key · bulb · fine · cell · spell · lash

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cell — a phone
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spell — magic
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cell — in biology
  19. fine — all right
  20. spell — letters
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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