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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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bass — low music
  3. pop — music
  4. present — a gift
  5. bank — of a river
  6. season — in sport
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. court — for sport
  9. present — the time now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bass — the fish
  16. present — there
  17. craft — boats
  18. court — of a king
  19. bank — for money
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bank — for money
  22. pop — soda
  23. court — of law
  24. craft — a handicraft

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