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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. craft — boats
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. object — an aim
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. present — a gift
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bass — low music
  12. present — there
  13. pit — a hole
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. bass — the fish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. object — to protest
  19. pit — in a race
  20. object — a thing
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. present — the time now
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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