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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.

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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mine — for digging

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