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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cell — in biology
  3. rash — a series
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bass — low music
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rash — hasty
  15. can — a tin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cell — a phone
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. wound — an injury
  22. present — a gift
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bass — the fish

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