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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. net — for catching
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. season — of the year
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. net — after costs
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ground — a position
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bulb — for light
  15. net — in sport
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. march — the month
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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