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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. season — of the year
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. spring — of water
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bass — low music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. season — in sport

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