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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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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: track · saw · bulb · ground · dip · shower · bowl · leaves

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. track — a song
  6. ground — a position
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. shower — to wash
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — the earth
  14. shower — rain
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — to go away

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