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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. capital — money
  5. suit — clothes
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. roll — a list
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bass — low music
  20. capital — a city
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fork — in a road
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — to hurry

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