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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — electricity
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bass — the fish
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bass — low music
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. rash — hasty
  21. charge — a price
  22. mate — a friend
  23. charge — in control
  24. mate — to breed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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