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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bass — low music
  5. kick — in football
  6. row — to paddle
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. row — a line
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. suit — in cards
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mug — to rob
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. mug — a face
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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