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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bass — low music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wind — moving air
  9. object — an aim
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — a thing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. suit — to fit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bass — the instrument

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