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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. deal — to handle
  11. season — in sport
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bulb — for light
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. shower — rain
  16. club — for dancing
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. club — for golf
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bulb — for light

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