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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — for light
  4. can — to be able to
  5. court — of a king
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fall — to drop
  16. court — of law
  17. can — a tin
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fall — the season
  21. court — for sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — for money
  24. pass — a permit

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