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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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. game — wild animals
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bass — the fish
  9. game — a match
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. tear — from crying
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bank — of a river
  23. suit — clothes
  24. trunk — of a tree

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