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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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bass — low music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. arm — a part of something

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