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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bass — low music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. sharp — clever
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. suit — clothes
  10. craft — a skill
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. charge — in control
  15. suit — to fit
  16. last — final
  17. charge — a price
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rock — music
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rock — a stone
  23. craft — boats
  24. bass — the fish

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