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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — the fish
  8. ball — a dance
  9. chest — a box
  10. file — a document
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bass — low music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ball — a great time
  23. file — a tool
  24. chest — of your body

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