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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cap — of ice
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. spell — letters
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — to recline
  11. spell — magic
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — for betting
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. season — of the year
  23. bass — low music
  24. chip — to eat

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