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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: mouse · bulb · bank · hand · scale · present · bat · mark

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bat — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. present — a gift
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. scale — in music
  23. hand — help
  24. bank — for money

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