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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: can · bulb · patient · mouse · lie · ruler · cold · lean

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cold — not warm
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cold — an illness
  24. cold — the Cold War

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