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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: bowl · key · spring · bulb · plane · wave · saw · mark

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bulb — for light
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. spring — of water
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. spring — a coil
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. plane — a tool
  23. key — in music
  24. wave — of the sea

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