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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 120 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: bat · bulb · snap · bowl · staff · suit · track · march

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bat — the animal
  5. staff — employees
  6. march — music
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — to keep track
  9. snap — to click
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — in cards
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. march — the month
  14. bulb — for light
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. march — the month
  22. staff — employees
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. suit — to fit

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