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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · bulb · wave · stick · pit · key · band · calf

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — the most important part
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. bulb — for light
  13. key — in music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bulb — of a plant

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