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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 120 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — to rob
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bass — low music
  6. band — a music group
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — decided
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. firm — steady
  18. band — a ring
  19. firm — a company
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mug — a face
  24. band — a rubber band

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