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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 120 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: rock · present · bulb · can · dip · cap · mark · pitcher

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rock — music
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. present — a gift
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cap — of ice
  15. present — there
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a lid
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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