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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. track — a song
  4. fall — to drop
  5. can — a tin
  6. object — an aim
  7. content — happy
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a path
  12. bass — low music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. object — a thing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. content — the amount
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fall — the season
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fall — to drop
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bass — the instrument

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