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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. sharp — clever
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — in football
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. track — to keep track
  17. lean — thin
  18. track — a path
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a song
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — exactly

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