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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rock — music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. present — a gift
  9. bass — low music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. toast — bread
  12. present — the time now
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rock — a stone
  15. present — there
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bass — the fish

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