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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: mark · bowl · firm · bulb · clip · suit · rash · cabinet

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. clip — a video
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — steady
  12. rash — a series
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a grade
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mark — a trace
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. clip — for paper

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