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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: fall · plane · fine · dip · bulb · march · bowl · ball

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bulb — for light
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fine — all right
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. march — the month
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. march — music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fall — the season
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fall — to drop

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