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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bass — low music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — finally
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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