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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. race — humankind
  8. bass — low music
  9. chest — a box
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. dip — to sink
  12. race — the arms race
  13. chest — of your body
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. swing — to play on
  18. chest — of your body
  19. swing — music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. swing — in golf
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. race — a contest
  24. bass — 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