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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — the fish
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — a hat
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — a tin
  21. march — music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. can — to be able to
  24. march — the month

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