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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
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: court · fall · bear · craft · object · saw · bulb · bass

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. craft — boats
  3. object — an aim
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bass — low music
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. court — of a king
  12. bulb — for light
  13. court — for sport
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. court — of law
  20. craft — a skill
  21. object — to protest
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bass — the fish
  24. fall — to drop

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