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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
468
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 · season · tube · present · snap · bear · wave · lean

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lean — thin
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. present — the time now
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tube — a container
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. present — a gift
  19. season — of the year
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. lean — to bend
  24. snap — to click

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