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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: branch · lash · mug · scale · ball · kick · bulb · capital

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. capital — money
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. mug — a cup
  7. branch — a division
  8. scale — size or range
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mug — a face
  16. bulb — for light
  17. capital — a city
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. kick — in football
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — a thrill

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