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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 116 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. lean — thin
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lean — to bend
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fall — the season
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. season — in sport
  24. bass — low music

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