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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. present — there
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. season — of the year
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stand — to bear
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. season — in sport
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. present — the time now
  17. wind — moving air
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. present — a gift
  20. wind — moving air
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. arm — part of the body

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