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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bass — the fish
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chest — a box
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rock — a stone
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — to crush
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. chest — of your body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. calf — of the leg

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