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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bear — the animal
  4. march — music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. net — in sport
  7. fine — all right
  8. march — the month
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bear — the animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. march — the month
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. net — after costs

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