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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bulb — for light
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. scale — size or range
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. scale — in music
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bass — the fish
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fine — high quality
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bulb — of a plant
  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