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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bass — low music
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pass — a permit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bear — the animal
  11. file — a tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. file — a document
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a friend
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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