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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 116 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: bulb · firm · spring · charge · last · lash · track · straw

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — electricity
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. last — finally
  5. charge — a price
  6. firm — decided
  7. track — a path
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. track — a song
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — steady
  13. spring — a coil
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. last — final
  18. spring — the season
  19. firm — a company
  20. charge — in control
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. spring — of water
  24. last — to go on

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