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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ball — a dance
  4. tube — the underground
  5. fork — in a road
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. staff — employees
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. tube — a container
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. staff — employees
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ball — a great time
  23. last — final
  24. bulb — for light

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