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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. suit — clothes
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bank — for money
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. tube — a container
  11. bass — the fish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. wound — an injury
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — a horse colour

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