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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. band — a music group
  4. spell — letters
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bulb — for light
  7. spell — magic
  8. season — in sport
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. fall — the season
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. band — a ring
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — of the year
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. land — ground
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. spell — a short time

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