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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cap — a hat
  3. can — a tin
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cap — of ice
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to sink
  8. can — a tin
  9. mug — a face
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bass — low music
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mug — to rob
  16. can — to be able to
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. deal — an agreement

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