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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. capital — a city
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rest — what's left
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bark — to shout
  18. object — a thing
  19. suit — to fit
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. capital — money
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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