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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.

Make a worksheet

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: fine · lean · scale · mark · hand · bulb · staff · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. hand — in cards
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fine — all right
  5. mark — a trace
  6. scale — in music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. staff — employees
  9. hand — help
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bulb — for light
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mug — a face
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. mark — a grade

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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