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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. net — for catching
  3. rock — a stone
  4. club — for golf
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. net — in sport
  7. season — in sport
  8. bass — the fish
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. rock — music
  13. bass — low music
  14. club — a group
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. season — of the year
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. club — for dancing
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rock — to move gently

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