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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · snap · season · game · lash · key · dip · mate

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. mate — to breed
  4. season — of the year
  5. mate — a friend
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. snap — to click
  9. game — a match
  10. key — for a lock
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — a partner
  14. season — in sport
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — in music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — wild animals
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lash — an eyelash

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