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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bass — the fish
  4. tube — a container
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. kick — in football
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. season — of the year
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. chair — a leader
  18. tube — the underground
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. dip — to sink
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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