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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 · branch · bulb · toast · file · mark · lash · wound

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mug — a cup
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wound — an injury
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mug — a face
  12. wound — an injury
  13. file — a tool
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. toast — bread
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. branch — a division
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. file — a document

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