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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 · court · bulb · march · plane · track · stick · file

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. court — of a king
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. track — a path
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bulb — for light
  10. file — a line of people
  11. court — of law
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. file — a document
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. file — a tool
  16. dip — to sink
  17. court — for sport
  18. track — to keep track
  19. plane — a tool
  20. march — the month
  21. track — a song
  22. march — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. plane — an aircraft

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