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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chair — a leader
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. firm — decided
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. season — of the year
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — soda
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bass — low music
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bass — the fish
  18. firm — a company
  19. snap — to click
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pop — 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