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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: wake · season · hide · bowl · track · foot · pass · bulb

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pass — a permit
  4. track — a song
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. track — a path
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. foot — a measure
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. pass — to succeed

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