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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. bass — low music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — to rob
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mug — a face
  16. bass — the fish
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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