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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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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bulb — for light
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. clip — a video
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. band — a music group
  9. bulb — for light
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. season — of the year
  14. band — a ring
  15. season — in sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. craft — a skill
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. craft — boats
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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