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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 116 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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. sharp — clever
  5. mug — a face
  6. can — a tin
  7. clip — to cut
  8. cap — a lid
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cap — a hat
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mug — a cup
  15. clip — a video
  16. mug — to rob
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bulb — for light
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bass — low music
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bass — the fish

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