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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: bowl · club · cap · bay · can · stand · craft · bulb

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stand — to bear
  4. club — for golf
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bulb — for light
  16. can — a tin
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. club — a group
  20. craft — a skill
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cap — a lid
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stand — on your feet

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