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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 124 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pass · bowl · wind · bulb · lean · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lean — thin
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pass — to spend time

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