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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 116 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: lean · calf · pass · bulb · fan · court · mouse · branch

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pass — a permit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. lean — thin
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. court — of law
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. court — of a king
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. court — for sport
  24. fan — a supporter

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