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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. clip — for paper
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. clip — a video
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. clip — to cut
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bass — the fish
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. craft — a handicraft

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