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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. snap — to click
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bank — of a river
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bank — for money
  10. band — a music group
  11. toast — bread
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bank — for money
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. band — a ring
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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