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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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. band — a music group
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. march — music
  20. band — a ring
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mark — a grade

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