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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. lean — thin
  6. stem — to come from
  7. net — in sport
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — a stone
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rock — music
  17. bass — low music
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. net — after costs
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bass — the instrument

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