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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 120 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: bulb · chair · craft · pit · ball · rest · hide · dip

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rest — a break
  12. pit — in a race
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. chair — to sit on

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