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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. swing — music
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. file — a document
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bulb — for light
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ground — a position
  16. file — a tool
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. deal — to handle

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