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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.

Make a worksheet

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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mine — for digging
  4. mug — a face
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — the fish
  7. spell — letters
  8. rest — a break
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bound — tied together
  12. kid — child
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bound — certain
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. spell — magic
  22. bound — obliged
  23. kid — to tease
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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