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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — of the year
  3. march — the month
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. march — the month
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. march — music

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