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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
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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: rash · degree · sharp · bay · wake · mouse · lean · bulb

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. lean — thin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lean — to bend
  16. sharp — clever
  17. degree — from a university
  18. rash — a series
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. degree — an amount
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rash — hasty

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