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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: land · bulb · lie · deal · nail · can · pop · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pop — music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. land — a country
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pop — to visit
  11. land — to come down
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pop — soda
  14. land — ground
  15. can — a tin
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. deal — to handle
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. season — in sport
  24. deal — a big deal

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