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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. capital — a city
  3. bound — obliged
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pop — soda
  10. bound — certain
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pop — to visit
  14. deal — to handle
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pop — music
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. capital — money

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