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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. prune — to trim
  3. firm — steady
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — a company
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bank — of a river
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bass — low music
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. firm — decided
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bank — for money
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. sharp — clever

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