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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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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 · toast · object · snap · squash · mine · craft

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. object — to protest
  2. bulb — for light
  3. object — a thing
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. squash — the sport
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. craft — boats
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. object — an aim
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. firm — a company
  23. craft — a skill
  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