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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. hand — in cards
  9. press — to push
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bass — low music
  16. press — newspapers
  17. craft — boats
  18. hand — help
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — a tin
  22. press — a publisher
  23. can — to be able to
  24. fan — a supporter

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