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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: season · dip · can · saw · kid · rush · stem · bulb

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bulb — for light
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. kid — child
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. saw — the tool
  11. kid — to tease
  12. season — of the year
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. season — in sport
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. season — to add flavour

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