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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — low music
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bulb — for light
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — to handle
  18. spell — magic
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bass — the fish
  24. spell — letters

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