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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bass — low music
  4. shower — to wash
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wake — a trail
  9. suit — to fit
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. shower — rain
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rest — what's left
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rest — a break
  17. stand — to bear
  18. root — of a word
  19. bass — the fish
  20. root — the cause
  21. rash — a series
  22. rest — what's left
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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