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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. root — of a word
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. root — of a plant
  9. mug — a face
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pound — a weight
  12. root — the cause
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. last — final
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — low music

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