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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. band — a music group
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mate — to breed
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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