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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. club — a group
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. season — of the year
  7. club — for golf
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cap — of ice
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cap — a lid
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — to handle
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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