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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 · hand · craft · ball · content · rock · firm · march

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. firm — a company
  3. march — the month
  4. rock — music
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. ball — a great time
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. march — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. march — the month
  14. bulb — for light
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bulb — for light
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. content — the amount
  20. craft — boats
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hand — help
  24. content — happy

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