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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  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 — the fish
  2. bass — low music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. deal — to handle
  5. current — of water
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bound — tied together
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. charge — in control
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. current — happening now
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — a price
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bulb — for light
  23. current — electric
  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