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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. last — to go on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. last — finally
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. last — final
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. firm — decided

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