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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: scale · rash · mark · clip · calf · bulb · mug · bore

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. clip — a video
  3. bulb — for light
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bulb — for light
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. mark — a grade
  8. scale — size or range
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rash — a series
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to drill
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mug — a face
  21. bore — to tire
  22. scale — in music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bulb — of a plant

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