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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. root — the cause
  3. sharp — clever
  4. band — a music group
  5. firm — decided
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bound — obliged
  8. root — of a word
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. band — a ring
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — low music
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. root — of a plant
  18. firm — a company
  19. can — a tin
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. firm — steady
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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