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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. band — a music group
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — low music
  9. field — farmland
  10. rock — a stone
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. band — a ring
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rock — music
  21. fine — high quality
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. fine — all right

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