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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — for golf
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. season — of the year
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. season — in sport
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. club — a group
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. club — for dancing

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