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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. land — to come down
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. land — ground
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — an aim
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. object — a thing
  20. pass — a permit
  21. land — a country
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — a dish

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