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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — a face
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bear — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bass — low music
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rule — a law
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rule — government
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bear — the animal

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