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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — the fish
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mark — a grade
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bass — low music
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. chest — of your body
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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