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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. last — final
  6. last — to go on
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. last — finally
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fine — high quality
  13. row — a line
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wake — a trail
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. chair — a leader
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. fine — all right

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