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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.

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: can · mouse · kick · bulb · wound · content · lean · plane

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lean — thin
  13. content — happy
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. can — a tin
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. content — the amount
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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