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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. club — for golf
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. mark — a trace
  7. club — a group
  8. hand — help
  9. march — the month
  10. mark — a grade
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. club — for dancing
  14. cap — a lid
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cap — a hat
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bulb — for light
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — to pay attention

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