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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — temperature
  4. swing — to play on
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. can — a tin
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. band — a ring
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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