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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: mouse · firm · bulb · rock · lash · spring · chip · mine

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — a coil
  5. mine — for digging
  6. firm — a company
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. rock — music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. firm — steady
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — decided
  24. mouse — the animal

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