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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.

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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bass — low music
  4. pop — music
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rest — what's left
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pop — to visit
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — a break
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. pop — soda

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