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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — obliged
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — low music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bound — certain
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bass — the fish
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rash — a series
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pitcher — a jug

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