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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 116 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
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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: bulb · cap · bowl · ball · plane · pit · game · season

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. season — in sport
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. season — of the year
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a lid
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cap — a hat
  21. game — a match
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ball — a dance

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