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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stand — to bear
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. spring — of water
  8. bass — the fish
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bank — of a river
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. bass — low music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. spring — the season
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bear — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. spring — a coil
  24. stand — for spectators

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