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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. band — a music group
  7. bass — low music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rock — music
  11. shower — to wash
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bass — the fish
  14. deal — to handle
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. can — a tin
  18. band — a ring
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rock — a stone

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