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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: cue · key · bulb · object · lash · band · swing · spring

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. spring — the season
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. spring — of water
  8. cue — for pool
  9. band — a music group
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bulb — for light
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cue — a hint
  14. key — for a lock
  15. band — a ring
  16. swing — in golf
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. swing — music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. key — in music
  23. object — a thing
  24. key — the most important part

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