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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bass — low music
  5. can — a tin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. can — a tin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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