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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 120 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: deal · plane · last · stand · ball · straw · bound · bulb

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. last — final
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bound — obliged
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. last — to go on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. plane — a tool
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. bound — certain
  19. bulb — for light
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bound — tied together
  22. stand — to bear
  23. last — finally
  24. deal — to handle

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