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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. plane — a tool
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rest — what's left
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rest — a break
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bulb — for light
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bowl — a dish

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