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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. face — to confront
  3. band — a music group
  4. rest — what's left
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bass — the fish
  8. face — part of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rest — a break
  13. net — after costs
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mate — a friend
  16. net — in sport
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rest — what's left
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bass — low music
  22. mate — a partner
  23. band — a ring
  24. face — to point toward

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