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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: game · bulb · mark · spring · nail · leaves · dip · rush

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — a coil
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mark — a grade
  8. game — wild animals
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. game — a match
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — of water

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