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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. deal — to handle
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. march — music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. march — the month
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — a grade
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — a signal

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