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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pop — to visit
  6. season — of the year
  7. bulb — for light
  8. band — a ring
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pop — music
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pop — soda
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. band — a music group
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mug — a face
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. season — in sport
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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