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

Word bank: tear · scale · mark · club · pass · bulb · lean · rush

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mark — a grade
  7. club — a group
  8. scale — size or range
  9. tear — from crying
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. scale — in music
  22. club — for golf
  23. tear — to rip
  24. bulb — for light

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