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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. file — a document
  3. can — a tin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spring — of water
  6. bulb — for light
  7. file — a tool
  8. pop — to visit
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — to be able to
  13. craft — a skill
  14. file — a line of people
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pop — soda
  19. spring — the season
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pop — music
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — boats
  24. can — a tin

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