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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bass — the fish
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fine — all right
  11. face — to confront
  12. bass — low music
  13. net — for catching
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mate — a friend
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. net — in sport
  20. suit — to fit
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mate — a partner
  23. suit — clothes
  24. net — after costs

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