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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — a stone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. land — ground
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bark — to shout
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. swing — music
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. land — to come down
  22. swing — to play on
  23. land — a country
  24. swing — in golf

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