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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lean — to bend
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bass — the fish
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. ground — the earth
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. swing — music
  11. bass — low music
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. swing — to play on
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lean — thin
  20. ground — crushed
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ground — a position
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. can — to be able to

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