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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bass — the fish
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — of the year
  8. court — for sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. court — of law
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bass — low music
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. fine — all right
  19. kid — to tease
  20. season — in sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — to confront
  24. bear — the animal

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