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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: jam · bulb · bear · pitch · bark · wave · season · wake

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. season — in sport
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bear — the animal
  21. season — of the year
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. jam — in traffic

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