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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — in music
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. object — an aim
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stand — to bear
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. object — a thing
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. dip — a sauce

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