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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stand — to bear
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pop — music
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bound — certain
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — soda
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pop — to visit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bound — tied together
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bulb — for light
  20. lean — thin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stand — for spectators
  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