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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.

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: bowl · drill · season · scale · kick · bulb · coach · mouse

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kick — in football
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. season — of the year
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. season — in sport
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. scale — in music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — the tool
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. coach — a trainer

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