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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lean — to bend
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lean — thin
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. lean — to rest against

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