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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bulb · lean · hide · plane · craft · wind · pop · march

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. march — the month
  11. lean — to bend
  12. craft — a skill
  13. march — music
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lean — thin
  16. pop — music
  17. craft — boats
  18. pop — to visit
  19. wind — moving air
  20. plane — a tool
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. march — the month
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wind — moving air

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