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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — a gift
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. present — there
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pitch — completely
  7. present — the time now
  8. band — a music group
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — of the year
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. season — in sport
  15. lie — to recline
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. band — a ring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fine — all right

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