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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: wound · hand · court · lash · present · bulb · mark · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — help
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. court — of a king
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. mark — a grade
  14. present — there
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. court — of law
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mark — a trace
  22. court — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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