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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bass — low music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — hurry
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — a part of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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