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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — the tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. staff — a stick
  8. firm — decided
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. staff — employees
  12. season — of the year
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. band — a music group
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bass — the fish
  18. firm — steady
  19. band — a ring
  20. season — in sport
  21. drill — army training
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. staff — employees
  24. bass — low music

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