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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bulb — for light
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. game — a match

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