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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pop — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — electric
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pop — soda
  10. bass — the fish
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chest — a box
  13. current — happening now
  14. bulb — for light
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. current — of water
  23. dip — to sink
  24. pop — to visit

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