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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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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: saw · key · lash · bulb · wound · pound · stick · chip

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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. wound — an injury
  4. pound — a weight
  5. chip — to eat
  6. key — in music
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. key — for a lock
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wound — an injury
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. key — the most important part
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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