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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. staff — employees
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bass — low music
  9. toast — bread
  10. capital — a city
  11. staff — employees
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bass — the fish
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. capital — money

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