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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a great time
  4. root — of a word
  5. can — a tin
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bat — the animal
  8. root — the cause
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bass — low music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. present — there
  14. root — of a plant
  15. can — to be able to
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. ball — a dance
  19. can — a tin
  20. present — a gift
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. present — the time now
  24. bat — for baseball

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