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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: bulb · mouse · rest · staff · object · pop · ground · mark

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. object — an aim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — to protest
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — a position
  11. staff — employees
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rest — what's left
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pop — music
  18. ground — the earth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mouse — the animal

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