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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 116 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: pass · ball · mug · firm · kid · bulb

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mug — a cup
  4. firm — steady
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mug — to rob
  7. firm — decided
  8. ball — a dance
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bulb — for light
  12. firm — a company
  13. mug — a face
  14. pass — a permit
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. kid — child
  18. pass — to spend time

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