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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. row — a line
  4. suit — in cards
  5. kid — child
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. row — to paddle
  19. suit — to fit
  20. swing — in golf
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bulb — of a plant

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