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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: track · cabinet · bulb · season · board · staff · bowl · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. season — of the year
  8. track — a song
  9. bulb — for light
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bulb — for light
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. season — in sport
  16. board — a committee
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. track — a path
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. bowl — to roll

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