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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bass — low music
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chest — of your body
  9. rash — a series
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bank — of a river
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. chest — a box
  18. can — a tin
  19. chest — of your body
  20. face — to confront
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bass — the fish
  23. can — a tin
  24. face — part of the head

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