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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 120 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bass — low music
  3. current — happening now
  4. bass — the fish
  5. season — in sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rock — music
  9. present — a gift
  10. staff — a stick
  11. present — the time now
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. present — there
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. fine — all right
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. season — of the year
  24. rock — a stone

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