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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: hide · mouse · bowl · pop · bulb · mug · deal · pitcher

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pop — soda
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pop — to visit
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mug — a cup
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mug — a face
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pop — music
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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