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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 116 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: club · row · pit · bulb · fan · rock · march · rush

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — music
  4. club — a group
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. pit — a hole
  8. march — the month
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. club — for golf
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pit — in a race

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