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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. board — a committee
  4. can — to be able to
  5. season — in sport
  6. bulb — for light
  7. board — to get on
  8. season — of the year
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bulb — for light
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. board — a flat piece

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