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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bass — low music
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bass — the fish
  9. shower — rain
  10. bat — the animal
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bulb — for light
  16. charge — in control
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. bulb — for light
  24. perch — the fish

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