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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: pound · bowl · ball · nail · bulb · hide · row · date

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pound — a weight
  6. row — to paddle
  7. date — the fruit
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. row — a line
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. date — on the calendar

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