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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the fish
  4. suit — to fit
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bass — low music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. pass — a permit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fork — in a road
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. straw — a straw man

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