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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pop — soda
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wind — moving air
  8. can — a tin
  9. bank — for money
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bank — of a river
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bank — for money

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