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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. season — of the year
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — of law
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. court — for sport
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cap — a hat
  18. season — in sport
  19. cap — a lid
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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