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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bear — the animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. band — a music group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. band — a ring
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mate — to breed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fan — a supporter

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