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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — a tin
  9. toast — bread
  10. can — a tin
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. charge — electricity
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. can — to be able to
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. firm — a company
  19. bass — the fish
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. charge — in control
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — a price

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