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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bass — low music
  4. row — a line
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. key — the most important part
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. season — of the year
  13. track — a song
  14. season — in sport
  15. track — to keep track
  16. key — in music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bass — the fish
  20. key — for a lock
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. branch — a division
  23. track — a path
  24. hand — help

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