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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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Word bank
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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: bulb · shower · bowl · mouse · sharp · roll · racket · stand

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. roll — a list
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. roll — a cake
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. shower — to wash
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. shower — rain
  24. bowl — to roll

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