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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. current — of water
  3. drill — the tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. firm — decided
  9. bass — low music
  10. firm — steady
  11. season — of the year
  12. current — electric
  13. drill — army training
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. firm — a company
  17. snap — to click
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. season — in sport
  21. current — happening now
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — an agreement

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