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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bulb — for light
  5. band — a ring
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — the fish
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bulb — for light
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a tool
  16. rest — a break
  17. file — a document
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bass — low music
  23. band — a music group
  24. pass — a permit

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