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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bass — low music
  3. bound — obliged
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rest — a break
  6. bound — tied together
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. staff — employees
  10. bass — the fish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rest — what's left
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fall — to drop
  15. staff — employees
  16. bound — certain
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rest — what's left

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