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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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Word bank
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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bass — low music
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — a stone
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rule — government
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. rock — music
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. kid — child
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. suit — in cards

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