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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 120 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: mouse · mark · bulb · mine · scale · racket · dip · pass

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. scale — in music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mark — a trace
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bulb — for light
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pass — a permit

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