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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. track — a song
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bound — obliged
  7. season — in sport
  8. bass — low music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. season — of the year
  11. suit — in cards
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bound — certain
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. tube — a container
  18. track — a path
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. tube — the underground
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. track — to keep track

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