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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — the underground
  4. march — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. march — the month
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bass — low music
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the fish
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. suit — in cards
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — animal skin

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