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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mine · last · present · spell · leaves · wave · bass · bulb

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bulb — for light
  4. present — the time now
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — for digging
  8. last — final
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. last — finally
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. last — to go on
  15. spell — letters
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bass — the fish
  19. present — there
  20. bass — low music
  21. spell — magic
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. present — a gift

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