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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · sharp · current · bass · fine · march · scale · leaves

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. current — happening now
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bass — the fish
  7. current — electric
  8. scale — in music
  9. current — of water
  10. march — the month
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bulb — for light
  15. march — music
  16. march — the month
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fine — high quality
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bass — low music
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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