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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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. wave — with your hand
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. can — a tin
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. can — a tin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — to shout
  24. pass — to spend time

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