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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bass — the fish
  3. ground — crushed
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. fine — high quality
  12. band — a music group
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. roll — a list
  19. saw — the tool
  20. band — a ring
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bass — low music
  24. roll — on a roll

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