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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bass — the fish
  3. game — a match
  4. bass — low music
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rock — music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fall — the season
  16. mug — a face
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fine — all right
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rock — a stone
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mug — a cup

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