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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. mug — a cup
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mug — to rob
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. suit — to fit
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bass — the fish
  23. mug — a face
  24. charge — a price

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