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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. degree — temperature
  11. season — of the year
  12. degree — from a university
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — a safe
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. fork — in a road
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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