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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 120 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: mug · stock · bulb · wake · rest · mouse · prune · lean

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — a face
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stock — shares
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — goods
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wake — a trail
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stock — a soup base

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