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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. craft — boats
  8. band — a ring
  9. mate — a partner
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mark — a grade
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bass — low music
  16. band — a music group
  17. rush — hurry
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mate — a friend

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