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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: bulb · pass · mouse · suit · season · clip · wake · pound

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. clip — for paper
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pound — a weight
  15. season — of the year
  16. pass — a permit
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — to fit
  20. clip — a video
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. season — in sport

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