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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 · mouse · fan · bowl · jam · bulb · wind · lean

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lean — thin
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wind — moving air
  20. craft — boats
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fan — a supporter

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