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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lean — thin
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. season — in sport
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — in music
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. scale — size or range
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bass — the fish
  19. lean — to bend
  20. season — of the year
  21. bass — low music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — in traffic

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