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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bass — the fish
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mate — a friend
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. staff — employees
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. staff — employees
  23. toast — bread
  24. leaves — lets stay

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