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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — for catching
  6. can — a tin
  7. season — of the year
  8. bass — low music
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mug — a face
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mug — a cup
  13. season — in sport
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pop — music
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pop — soda
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pop — to visit
  22. can — a tin
  23. net — in sport
  24. bass — the instrument

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