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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: dip · suit · face · kid · bulb · spell · file · bowl

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. file — a document
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. face — to point toward
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. suit — clothes
  11. dip — to sink
  12. file — a line of people
  13. spell — letters
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spell — magic
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. kid — to tease
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. kid — child
  21. bulb — for light
  22. face — to confront
  23. suit — to fit
  24. file — a tool

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