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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. club — a group
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bass — low music
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — for dancing
  14. root — the cause
  15. club — for golf
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — steady
  21. root — of a word
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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