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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 120 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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. file — a document
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. file — a line of people
  5. field — farmland
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. field — a subject
  10. rock — music
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. file — a tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. field — for sport

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