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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. scale — size or range
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. snap — to click

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