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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.

Words on the sheet
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: bulb · game · pop · fine · bass · cabinet · temple · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. game — wild animals
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pop — to visit
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. fine — all right
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pop — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pop — soda
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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