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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. pop — music
  7. wake — a trail
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bass — low music
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fine — high quality
  15. scale — in music
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fine — all right
  19. pop — soda
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. suit — clothes
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. suit — to fit

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