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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. season — in sport
  3. bass — low music
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. season — of the year
  6. firm — a company
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. bass — the fish
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. suit — in cards
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. firm — decided
  17. band — a ring
  18. foot — a measure
  19. firm — steady
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. branch — a division
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. suit — clothes

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