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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. field — farmland
  9. march — the month
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. net — in sport
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. net — for catching
  15. bulb — for light
  16. field — for sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. march — music
  19. pitch — completely
  20. net — after costs
  21. field — a subject
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bank — of a river

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