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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bass — low music
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bass — the fish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. net — after costs
  17. ball — a great time
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. net — for catching
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wave — with your hand

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