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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: pitcher · bulb · lie · can · bear · coach · pass · wave

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — a tin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lie — to recline

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