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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: scale · bat · lean · mate · rock · track · bulb · wave

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lean — thin
  4. scale — size or range
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rock — music
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. scale — in music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. track — a path
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. track — a song
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. wave — of the sea

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