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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. can — to be able to
  4. suit — clothes
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. swing — in golf
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. swing — to play on
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bass — the fish
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bass — low music
  19. land — ground
  20. bulb — for light
  21. charge — electricity
  22. land — to come down
  23. swing — music
  24. stem — to come from

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