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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bulb — for light
  7. foot — a measure
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. firm — decided
  10. mine — for digging
  11. squash — the sport
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. firm — steady
  21. bass — low music
  22. firm — a company
  23. bass — the fish
  24. calf — a young animal

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