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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · bulb · mug · bass · court · object · hide · craft

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — low music
  6. craft — boats
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mug — a face
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. court — of law
  15. mug — a cup
  16. court — for sport
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mug — to rob
  21. court — of a king
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. hide — animal skin

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