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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. bass — the fish
  3. suit — in cards
  4. band — a ring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. toast — bread
  7. craft — boats
  8. object — an aim
  9. craft — a skill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. object — a thing
  12. lie — to recline
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rock — a stone
  18. suit — clothes
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. band — a music group
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. suit — to fit
  23. object — to protest
  24. bass — low music

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