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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. land — a country
  3. land — ground
  4. fall — to drop
  5. suit — clothes
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. can — a tin
  9. land — to come down
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. can — a tin
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bass — low music
  23. fall — the season
  24. bass — the fish

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