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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bass — low music
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lie — to recline
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rule — government
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — the underground
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rule — a law

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