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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: chip · dip · ball · file · bowl · bulb · calf · club

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. file — a tool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bulb — for light
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. file — a document
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bulb — for light
  21. club — a group
  22. ball — a dance
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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