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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: bulb · bowl · wound · rock · lie · bat · jam · pit

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pit — a hole
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bat — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rock — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rock — to move gently

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