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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. club — for golf
  3. craft — boats
  4. board — a committee
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. club — for dancing
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. kick — in football
  18. club — a group
  19. bat — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bulb — for light
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. board — to get on

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