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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. season — of the year
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rock — music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bass — low music
  15. squash — the sport
  16. wake — a trail
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. season — in sport
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. hand — help
  23. bulb — for light
  24. hand — part of the body

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