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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pop — music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. row — a line
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. shower — rain
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. pop — soda
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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