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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: mark · toast · leaves · game · bulb · object · pop · court

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bulb — for light
  3. game — a match
  4. pop — soda
  5. mark — a grade
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. court — for sport
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. object — a thing
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. toast — bread
  19. object — an aim
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — for light
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bulb — of a plant

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