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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 · mine · can · bark · wave · kick · pass · scale

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mine — for digging
  8. pass — a permit
  9. kick — in football
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — size or range
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bark — to shout
  21. scale — in music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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