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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bass — the fish
  9. can — to be able to
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. toast — bread
  21. bore — to drill
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bass — low 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