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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — low music
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. hand — help
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kick — in football
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bass — the fish
  21. lean — thin
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. hand — part of the 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