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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 116 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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. season — in sport
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. band — a music group
  9. current — electric
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — tied together
  12. current — of water
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bulb — for light
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bank — for money
  19. current — happening now
  20. bank — of a river
  21. season — of the year
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bound — certain
  24. band — a ring

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