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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. craft — boats
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. last — finally
  10. shower — rain
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. firm — decided
  13. bass — low music
  14. last — final
  15. craft — a skill
  16. key — for a lock
  17. firm — a company
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — steady
  21. bore — to drill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. last — to go on
  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