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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pop — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pop — soda
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. spring — of water
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. board — to get on
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a committee
  18. spring — the season
  19. pop — to visit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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