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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — music
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. season — in sport
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hand — help
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pop — soda
  22. season — of the year
  23. bulb — for light
  24. safe — out of danger

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