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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. track — a song
  12. clip — for paper
  13. track — a path
  14. bulb — for light
  15. clip — to cut
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. track — to keep track
  24. clip — a video

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