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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bass — low music
  7. capital — money
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. capital — a city
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. can — to be able to
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a path
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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