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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mug — a face
  4. face — to confront
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. key — for a lock
  8. face — to point toward
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. can — a tin
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bass — low music
  16. key — in music
  17. can — a tin
  18. key — the most important part
  19. face — part of the head
  20. current — electric
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. can — to be able to

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