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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: craft · leaves · bear · bulb · suit · chip · court · bowl

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. suit — to fit
  7. court — for sport
  8. suit — in cards
  9. court — of a king
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. chip — for betting
  12. craft — boats
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. court — of law
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bear — the animal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. chip — in a computer

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