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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. bass — the fish
  6. clip — a video
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bass — low music
  12. clip — to cut
  13. track — a path
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. track — a song
  18. clip — for paper
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — a lid
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cap — a hat

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