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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: scale · season · snap · pitcher · bulb · nail · lie · rush

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. season — in sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. snap — to click
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. season — of the year
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — in music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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