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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 116 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — magic
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bass — the fish
  6. spell — letters
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spell — a short time
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. suit — to fit
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rock — music
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. suit — in cards
  23. shower — to wash
  24. trunk — of a tree

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