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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. present — the time now
  3. root — of a plant
  4. present — a gift
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bat — the animal
  10. root — the cause
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. root — of a word
  16. toast — bread
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. present — there
  24. ruler — a monarch

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