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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. board — to get on
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. board — a committee
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. club — for golf
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a dance
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. stock — goods
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. club — a group
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. stock — shares
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bay — a horse colour

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