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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 120 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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bass — low music
  3. march — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — for light
  6. march — the month
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bank — for money
  11. fall — the season
  12. mate — to breed
  13. season — in sport
  14. rock — music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mate — a friend
  17. march — the month
  18. bulb — for light
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bass — the fish
  24. season — of the year

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