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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. spring — the season
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. spring — a coil
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. can — to be able to
  10. spring — of water
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pop — to visit
  14. bass — the fish
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. key — in music
  19. bass — low music
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pop — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. wave — with your hand

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