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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 116 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. staff — employees
  3. last — final
  4. staff — a stick
  5. object — to protest
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — to handle
  11. pass — a permit
  12. object — a thing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. last — finally
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bass — low music
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. last — to go on
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — an aim
  24. bass — the fish

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