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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. spring — of water
  7. bass — the fish
  8. rest — a break
  9. spring — the season
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mug — to rob
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bass — low music
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mug — a face
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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