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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 120 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. face — to point toward
  6. foot — a measure
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. season — of the year
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. saw — the tool
  14. season — in sport
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. staff — employees
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. saw — the tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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