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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. present — the time now
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. ball — a great time
  6. craft — a skill
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. present — there
  11. ball — a dance
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. roll — a list
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. craft — boats
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stand — to bear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. roll — a cake
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a round shape

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