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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.

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 · wound · craft · spell · bowl · can · ball · staff

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. ball — a great time
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. staff — a stick
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. can — a tin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — letters
  12. bulb — for light
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. staff — employees
  22. spell — a short time
  23. craft — boats
  24. spell — magic

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