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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bass — the fish
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. staff — employees
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. suit — to fit
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. face — to point toward

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