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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: bulb · track · mouse · object · deal · foot · cap · mark

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. object — an aim
  10. mark — a trace
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mark — a grade
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. track — to keep track
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. object — a thing
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cap — of ice

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