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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bass — low music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lean — thin
  12. rock — a stone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. prune — to trim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rock — music
  24. prune — the fruit

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