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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.

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: dip · season · bulb · kick · band · perch · board · bowl

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. season — of the year
  3. dip — to sink
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. bulb — for light
  6. band — a ring
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a committee
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. kick — in football
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. season — in sport
  15. band — a music group
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. board — a flat piece

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