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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — music
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. spring — of water
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. spring — a coil
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spring — the season
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. ruler — for measuring

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