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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — of the year
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. squash — to crush
  13. spell — letters
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. season — in sport
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bulb — for light

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