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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bank — for money
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — magic
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. spell — letters
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bank — of a river
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bulb — of a plant

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