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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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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: bore · lean · fine · craft · jam · bass · rash · bulb

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bass — low music
  3. rash — a series
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rash — hasty
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fine — all right
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lean — thin
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bass — the fish
  24. craft — boats

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