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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: jam · mark · scale · calf · bulb · bound · spring · face

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. spring — a coil
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. scale — in music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. face — to point toward
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spring — the season
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. spring — of water
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bound — obliged
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mark — a trace
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bound — certain
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. scale — size or range
  23. face — to confront
  24. bulb — for light

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