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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. spell — magic
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — a company
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ruler — for measuring

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