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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mate — a partner
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — in football
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mug — a face
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mug — a cup
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lie — an untruth

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