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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — a song
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — after costs
  9. bass — low music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. degree — an amount
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. net — in sport
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. degree — from a university
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. degree — temperature
  21. track — a path
  22. net — for catching
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bulb — of a plant

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