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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bass — low music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mate — a partner
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — to breed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bulb — for light
  23. shower — rain
  24. arm — a part of something

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