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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. bass — low music
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fine — high quality
  8. net — after costs
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. net — for catching
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. race — a contest
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — humankind
  16. net — in sport
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rock — a stone
  19. race — the arms race
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stem — to come from
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rock — music

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