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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 120 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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. can — a tin
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. scale — in music
  15. mug — to rob
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mug — a face
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — for weighing

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