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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. suit — clothes
  4. march — the month
  5. bass — low music
  6. march — music
  7. net — in sport
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. net — after costs
  16. suit — to fit
  17. game — a match
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. net — for catching
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. march — the month
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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