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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · mine · bulb · can · pitcher · spell · calf · stick

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spell — letters
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — a grade
  12. spell — magic
  13. mine — for digging
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — a tin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. calf — of the leg

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