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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pop — soda
  4. band — a ring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — in sport
  11. pop — music
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. band — a music group
  14. craft — boats
  15. season — of the year
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. craft — a skill
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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