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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bass — low music
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. season — of the year
  5. roll — a cake
  6. firm — decided
  7. roll — a list
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. firm — steady
  14. rock — music
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fork — in a road
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. firm — a company
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rock — a stone
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wave — of the sea

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