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

Word bank: foot · wake · charge · bass · land · bulb · cue · deal

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. land — a country
  2. bass — the fish
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cue — for pool
  8. wake — a trail
  9. land — ground
  10. foot — a measure
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. charge — electricity
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — in control
  16. bass — low music
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. land — to come down
  19. charge — a price
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  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