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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — a cup
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bear — the animal

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