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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — to tease
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pop — music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bass — low music
  11. pop — soda
  12. bank — for money
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bass — the fish
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — a price
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pop — to visit
  24. suit — to fit

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