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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's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bass — low music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. drill — the tool
  7. present — the time now
  8. bass — the fish
  9. shower — rain
  10. drill — a practice
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. present — a gift
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stand — to bear
  19. drill — army training
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. present — there

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