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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.

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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: lean · bulb · pass · ball · rock · game · firm · club

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  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. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lean — thin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rock — a stone
  7. firm — steady
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. game — a match
  10. bulb — for light
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. lean — to bend
  14. firm — decided
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ball — a great time
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. firm — a company
  19. club — for golf
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. pass — to spend time
  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