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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. cap — of ice
  16. file — a tool
  17. bass — low music
  18. file — a document
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — in cards
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. cap — a hat

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