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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. staff — employees
  3. chest — of your body
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bass — low music
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bass — the fish
  12. fine — all right
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — a stone
  15. staff — employees
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chest — a box
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — for catching
  21. staff — a stick
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rock — music

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