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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. sharp — clever
  5. season — of the year
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. saw — the tool
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — a thing
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rock — a stone
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bass — low music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. object — an aim
  19. rock — music
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bass — the fish

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