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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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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: mouse · sharp · bulb · mug · ground · bear · content · lean

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mug — a cup
  3. sharp — clever
  4. content — the amount
  5. ground — a position
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ground — crushed
  12. content — happy
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. mug — a face
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lean — to bend

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