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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. march — music
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. march — the month
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bulb — for light
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bat — the animal
  24. fan — to cool the air

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