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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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. game — a match
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bass — low music
  5. game — wild animals
  6. cue — for pool
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. bulb — for light
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. lean — to bend
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lean — thin
  19. cue — a hint
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. squash — the sport

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