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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. bass — low music
  10. mug — to rob
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. charge — a price
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — in control
  17. band — a ring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. charge — electricity
  21. last — to go on
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. mug — a face
  24. band — a music group

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