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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've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cue — for pool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bark — to shout
  11. cue — a hint
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — to hurry

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