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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rule — a law
  10. cap — a lid
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rule — government
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — of ice
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cap — a hat
  19. craft — boats
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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