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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: track · bulb · cap · bowl · arm · court · cabinet · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — for light
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — for sport
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cap — of ice
  8. board — to get on
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. track — a song
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bulb — for light
  15. court — of law
  16. cap — a lid
  17. track — a path
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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