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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pop — music
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. file — a line of people
  10. march — music
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. march — the month
  16. pitch — completely
  17. file — a tool
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. march — the month
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bass — low music

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