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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 · lie · scale · snap · lash · bank · plane · charge

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. charge — a price
  3. bank — of a river
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. scale — in music
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. charge — electricity
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bank — for money
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bulb — for light
  22. charge — in control
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to click

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