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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bass — the fish
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — a box
  10. court — of law
  11. court — for sport
  12. roll — a list
  13. present — there
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bass — low music
  24. court — of a king

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