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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bass — low music
  3. net — for catching
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. net — in sport
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. suit — clothes
  13. face — to point toward
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — to fit
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rest — what's left
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. net — after costs
  24. face — to confront

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