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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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468
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 · season · bulb · can · cold · bound · dip · pitch

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bound — obliged
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. season — in sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. cold — an illness
  16. can — a tin
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cold — not warm
  20. bound — tied together
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. bound — certain
  24. dip — to sink

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