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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. club — a group
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — magic
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — thin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spell — letters
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. club — for dancing
  22. spell — a short time
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. club — for golf

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