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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. chest — of your body
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. bass — low music
  6. firm — steady
  7. tube — a container
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. tube — the underground
  11. firm — decided
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. firm — a company
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tube — in a tire

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