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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: key · chair · rush · dip · bowl · leaves · fan · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. key — in music
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. dip — to sink
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rush — hurry
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rush — a thrill

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