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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.

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: mug · lean · ball · tear · snap · mark · bulb · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. club — for dancing
  4. snap — to click
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lean — thin
  8. tear — to rip
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — to rob
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. club — a group
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. tear — from crying
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lean — to bend

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