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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bear — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. bound — tied together
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — there
  10. fall — to drop
  11. present — a gift
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bound — obliged
  15. fall — the season
  16. bass — low music
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fall — to drop
  19. drill — the tool
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bound — certain

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