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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bank — of a river
  8. kid — child
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. drill — a practice
  14. drill — army training
  15. bank — for money
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chair — a leader
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. chair — a professorship

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