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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. can — a tin
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bass — low music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bass — the fish
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. can — to be able to
  13. season — in sport
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. season — of the year
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — to confront
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rush — hurry

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