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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bass — low music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. can — a tin
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. hand — in cards
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mark — a trace
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — music
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bass — the instrument

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