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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mark — a trace
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. field — a subject
  10. staff — employees
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. field — for sport
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. bass — low music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. can — to be able to
  24. field — farmland

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