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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pass · scale · shower · kick · lean · foot

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bulb — for light
  5. foot — a measure
  6. scale — in music
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. shower — rain
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. kick — in football

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