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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · bass · mug · bound · pit · season · field · bore

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bass — low music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bound — certain
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. field — farmland
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bore — to tire
  18. field — for sport
  19. mug — a face
  20. season — of the year
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bound — obliged
  23. field — a subject
  24. bass — the fish

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