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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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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. field — farmland
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bulb — for light
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rock — music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. field — a subject
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pass — a permit
  19. firm — decided
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. field — for sport
  22. tube — a container
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. dip — to sink

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