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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. suit — clothes
  8. drill — army training
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. key — in music
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. key — for a lock
  20. drill — a practice
  21. can — to be able to
  22. mine — for digging
  23. suit — to fit
  24. can — a tin

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