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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. firm — steady
  5. bulb — for light
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. band — a ring
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. pop — soda
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. band — a music group
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. game — wild animals
  18. firm — decided
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. kick — in football
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. firm — a company
  24. bowl — a dish

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