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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. land — to come down
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. bulb — for light
  10. land — ground
  11. bass — low music
  12. rock — music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bass — the fish
  17. cap — a hat
  18. ball — a dance
  19. cap — a lid
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. land — a country

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