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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fall — to drop
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — low music
  12. fall — the season
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chip — for betting
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hand — in cards
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. suit — clothes
  22. object — an aim
  23. hand — help
  24. suit — in cards

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