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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bear — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bass — the fish
  12. season — of the year
  13. bass — low music
  14. season — in sport
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. net — for catching
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. nail — for a hammer

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