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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. swing — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. degree — temperature
  12. drill — the tool
  13. degree — an amount
  14. bass — low music
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. swing — to play on
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — to be able to
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bass — the fish
  23. swing — in golf
  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