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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. craft — boats
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. content — the amount
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mug — a face
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. content — happy
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mug — to rob
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bass — low music
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. mate — a partner
  24. craft — a handicraft

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