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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.

Make a worksheet

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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. last — to go on
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a match
  7. bass — the fish
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bass — low music
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. last — finally
  16. bear — the animal
  17. last — final
  18. jam — in traffic

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