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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. game — a match
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. game — wild animals
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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