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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: mug · content · nail · lean · bulb · object · capital · rash

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. object — a thing
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. object — an aim
  6. content — the amount
  7. mug — a cup
  8. object — to protest
  9. lean — to bend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mug — to rob
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mug — a face
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rash — a series
  19. bulb — for light
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. capital — money
  22. rash — hasty
  23. content — happy
  24. lean — thin

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