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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: bear · swing · snap · hand · bulb · rest · bay · hide

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rest — a break
  4. hand — help
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bear — the animal
  11. snap — to click
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — in golf
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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