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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 · court · lean · content · mouse · present · dip · mark

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. present — there
  3. content — the amount
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. content — happy
  24. court — of law

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