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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bulb — for light
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pop — music
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. roll — a list
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. can — a tin
  16. bass — the fish
  17. lie — to recline
  18. suit — in cards
  19. can — to be able to
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pop — soda
  22. can — a tin
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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