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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. scale — in music
  3. firm — decided
  4. land — to come down
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. firm — steady
  12. mark — a trace
  13. land — ground
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. land — a country
  17. scale — size or range
  18. firm — a company
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bass — low music

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