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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. present — a gift
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. lie — to recline
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pound — a weight
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — there

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