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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mark — a grade
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rest — a break
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. foot — a measure

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