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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. stock — goods
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. club — for golf
  11. bass — low music
  12. stock — shares
  13. club — for dancing
  14. board — a committee
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bulb — for light
  17. board — to get on
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. club — a group

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