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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.

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: club · bear · sharp · stick · racket · bulb · bowl · plane

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bear — the animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — a tool
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. sharp — clever
  24. racket — for tennis

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