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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 120 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: fine · band · march · bay · bulb · spell · ground · can

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. can — a tin
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. can — a tin
  9. march — the month
  10. spell — letters
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. march — music
  14. spell — magic
  15. fine — high quality
  16. ground — a position
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — the month
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. can — to be able to

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