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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  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. pop — soda
  2. band — a ring
  3. lie — to recline
  4. suit — to fit
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bass — low music
  13. pop — music
  14. band — a music group
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bass — the fish
  18. season — in sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — of the year
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. season — to add flavour
  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