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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. lean — to bend
  5. firm — a company
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. firm — steady
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bulb — for light
  13. kick — in football
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lean — thin
  16. season — in sport
  17. rash — a series
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rock — a stone
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rash — hasty
  23. firm — decided
  24. season — of the year

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