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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. ball — a dance
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. firm — steady
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. firm — decided
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rush — hurry
  14. firm — a company
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — not warm
  18. cold — an illness
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. suit — clothes

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