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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wound — an injury
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rock — music
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. wound — an injury
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. present — the time now
  24. chip — to eat

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