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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: mine · spring · bulb · toast · can · wave · pop · bay

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. can — a tin
  4. bulb — for light
  5. spring — of water
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. toast — bread
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pop — soda
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pop — music
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. pop — to visit
  14. spring — a coil
  15. can — a tin
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. can — to be able to
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. spring — the season
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bulb — of a plant

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