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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. season — in sport
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wake — a trail
  8. track — a song
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. track — to keep track
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a path
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. season — of the year
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — lets stay

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