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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rash — a series
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bass — low music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — help
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. hand — in cards
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. bass — the fish
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wind — moving air

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