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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: coach · pop · bulb · deal · firm · bass · cabinet · sharp

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pop — soda
  5. bulb — for light
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — to handle
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bass — low music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bass — the fish
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — a company
  20. pop — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — decided
  23. pop — to visit
  24. firm — steady

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