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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. cue — a hint
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. last — final
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mark — a trace
  9. roll — a cake
  10. craft — a skill
  11. last — finally
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. roll — a list
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cue — for pool
  21. last — to go on
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — for light
  24. nail — for a hammer

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