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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. land — a country
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. bulb — for light
  9. key — for a lock
  10. land — ground
  11. pop — soda
  12. bass — low music
  13. firm — a company
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. craft — boats
  18. bulb — for light
  19. land — to come down
  20. key — the most important part
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — in music
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. firm — decided

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