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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · bear · band · lie · chair · lean · bulb · scale

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. band — a music group
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lean — thin
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bulb — for light
  12. scale — size or range
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. chair — a leader
  15. scale — in music
  16. band — a ring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. object — a thing
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. object — to protest
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. lie — to recline

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