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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. dip — to sink
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ground — a position
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — to fit
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bark — to shout
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bulb — for light
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. ground — crushed
  23. suit — in cards
  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