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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fork — in a road
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. ground — a position
  13. root — of a plant
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stand — to bear
  16. ground — the earth
  17. can — a tin
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. stand — for spectators

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