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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
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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: clip · can · wave · bulb · snap · deal · suit · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — to be able to
  4. snap — to click
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. deal — to handle
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. clip — for paper
  11. saw — the tool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. can — a tin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. can — a tin
  18. clip — a video
  19. suit — to fit
  20. clip — to cut
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bulb — for light

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