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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. present — the time now
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. clip — for paper
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. present — a gift
  11. perch — the fish
  12. clip — to cut
  13. present — there
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. ball — a dance
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chip — to eat
  23. clip — a video
  24. chip — for betting

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