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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. fine — all right
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rock — music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. root — the cause
  20. squash — to crush
  21. cap — a lid
  22. root — of a word
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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