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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. spell — magic
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. march — the month
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. march — the month
  16. ball — a dance
  17. spell — letters
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pound — a weight
  20. spell — a short time
  21. toast — bread
  22. march — music
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ball — a round shape

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