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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: pit · bulb · net · scale · lean · court · mark · lie

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pit — in a race
  4. scale — in music
  5. court — of a king
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bulb — for light
  8. court — of law
  9. net — after costs
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. court — for sport
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lean — thin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. net — for catching
  24. pit — a hole

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