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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. current — happening now
  13. stand — to bear
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bass — low music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  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