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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: snap · rest · scale · bulb · bore · lean · lash · ball

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bulb — for light
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lean — thin
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rest — a break
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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