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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 · bulb · lie · ground · season · deal · club · mouse

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. club — for golf
  3. season — of the year
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. club — a group
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ground — crushed
  16. deal — to handle
  17. season — in sport
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ground — the earth

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