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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: spell · march · ball · bulb · pitcher · pass · lie · racket

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a great time
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bulb — for light
  19. march — the month
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lie — an untruth

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