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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bass — low music
  3. net — for catching
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. last — to go on
  8. net — after costs
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mug — a face
  12. bound — obliged
  13. last — finally
  14. last — final
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mug — to rob
  18. net — in sport
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bound — certain
  22. bat — the animal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. bulb — for light

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