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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — the month
  3. field — farmland
  4. season — of the year
  5. march — the month
  6. cue — a signal
  7. net — after costs
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — a hint
  12. net — in sport
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. current — of water
  15. march — music
  16. net — for catching
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. field — for sport
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cue — for pool
  21. season — in sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. current — electric
  24. season — to add flavour

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