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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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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pop — music
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. rule — government
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rule — a law
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pop — soda
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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