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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bass — the fish
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pit — a hole
  20. foot — a measure
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bulb — for light
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pit — in a race

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