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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 120 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. bass — the fish
  5. degree — temperature
  6. object — an aim
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. root — of a word
  13. degree — an amount
  14. squash — to crush
  15. root — of a plant
  16. cell — in biology
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cell — a phone
  19. suit — in cards
  20. squash — the sport
  21. root — the cause
  22. degree — from a university
  23. object — to protest
  24. suit — clothes

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