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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bear — the animal
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. deal — to handle
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chest — a box
  9. bear — the animal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. last — final
  15. can — to be able to
  16. roll — a list
  17. last — finally
  18. last — to go on
  19. chest — of your body
  20. can — a tin
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. can — a tin
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. roll — a cake

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