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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. drill — army training
  3. face — to point toward
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. craft — a skill
  10. face — to confront
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. craft — boats
  17. bass — the fish
  18. face — part of the head
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — a handicraft

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