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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: season · file · bowl · mouse · bulb · craft · snap · bore

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. file — a tool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. craft — boats
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bore — to drill
  18. snap — to click
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. season — in sport
  21. file — a document
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. season — of the year
  24. bowl — a dish

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