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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: mouse · bear · bulb · nail · leaves · chest · bass · lash

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bass — the fish
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chest — a box
  24. nail — for a hammer

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