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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rule — a law
  5. present — the time now
  6. net — in sport
  7. bass — low music
  8. game — a match
  9. net — after costs
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. present — there
  20. rule — government
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bear — the animal

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