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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 116 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: row · fork · bowl · spell · ball · pit · wave · bulb

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spell — magic
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. ball — a great time
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. spell — letters
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — a short time
  20. row — a line
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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