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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rock — a stone
  4. chest — a box
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. track — a path
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pound — a weight
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. rock — music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to confront
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a song
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — low music

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