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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: kick · content · lie · mark · bulb · roll · stand · mouse

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. content — the amount
  7. roll — a cake
  8. content — happy
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bulb — for light
  24. roll — a list

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