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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.

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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: craft · bowl · season · bulb · saw · present · dip · rock

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bulb — for light
  3. dip — to sink
  4. present — there
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. season — of the year
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rock — music
  9. craft — boats
  10. bulb — for light
  11. present — the time now
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. saw — the tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. saw — the tool
  20. present — a gift
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — a sauce

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