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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. craft — boats
  3. track — a song
  4. net — in sport
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. net — after costs
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. net — for catching
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rest — what's left
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bulb — for light

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