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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rash — hasty
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bank — of a river
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — a series
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bank — for money
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bank — for money
  24. bulb — of a plant

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