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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. stand — to bear
  6. present — the time now
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. march — the month
  9. season — of the year
  10. present — there
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. present — a gift
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. march — music
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — for golf
  19. season — in sport
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. march — the month
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bass — low music
  24. season — to add flavour

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