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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. mine — for digging
  4. rock — music
  5. bass — the fish
  6. present — there
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — a stone
  11. last — final
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bass — low music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. last — finally
  16. present — a gift
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. mug — a face
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. last — to go on

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