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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rest — a break
  3. bass — low music
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — a subject
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bank — of a river
  20. field — for sport
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bank — for money

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