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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. race — a contest
  5. scale — size or range
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bass — low music
  9. rash — a series
  10. bulb — for light
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. race — humankind
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. race — the arms race
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bass — the fish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rash — hasty
  22. scale — in music
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. foot — a measure

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