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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. present — there
  3. stand — to bear
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. roll — a cake
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. rock — music
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bass — low music
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. roll — a list
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. present — a gift
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. present — the time now
  21. bass — the fish
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rash — a series

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