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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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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: bay · roll · fine · bass · bulb · race · pop · game

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. pop — soda
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. race — humankind
  10. roll — a cake
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. race — a contest
  16. game — a match
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bass — low music
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. roll — a list

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