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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bass — the fish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rest — a break
  10. mark — a grade
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — a match
  13. rest — what's left
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bore — to drill
  17. current — of water
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. current — electric
  24. current — happening now

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