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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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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 · bear · bulb · snap · lash · rush · calf · stick

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bear — the animal
  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