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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. bulb — for light
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. last — finally
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. last — to go on
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. last — final
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bore — to tire
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — to handle

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