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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. suit — clothes
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. prune — to trim
  11. present — a gift
  12. pop — to visit
  13. degree — temperature
  14. degree — an amount
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — to fit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pop — soda
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — music
  24. degree — from a university

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