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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. march — the month
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. march — music
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mine — for digging
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. march — the month
  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