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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. present — the time now
  5. firm — steady
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fine — all right
  11. rash — a series
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. present — there
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bass — the fish
  19. drill — the tool
  20. firm — decided
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bass — low music
  23. firm — a company
  24. bulb — for light

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