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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. craft — boats
  5. firm — a company
  6. dip — to sink
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. swing — in golf
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — decided
  15. sharp — clever
  16. swing — music
  17. firm — steady
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bulb — for light
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. sharp — exactly

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