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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mine — for digging
  8. ground — a position
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. firm — decided
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — steady
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — with your hand
  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