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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 116 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. season — in sport
  15. rule — a law
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rule — government
  20. fine — all right
  21. season — of the year
  22. fine — high quality
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bass — the instrument

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