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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — clothes
  8. toast — bread
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — of a word
  12. net — after costs
  13. root — of a plant
  14. net — for catching
  15. root — the cause
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bass — low music
  22. wound — an injury
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. net — in sport

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