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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: cabinet · season · bowl · bulb · kick · date · race · charge

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. charge — a price
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. race — humankind
  14. charge — in control
  15. bulb — for light
  16. kick — in football
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. charge — electricity
  23. race — a contest
  24. season — of the year

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