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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 116 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bass — low music
  4. net — for catching
  5. ball — a great time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bear — the animal
  10. net — in sport
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. net — after costs
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. prune — to trim
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mark — a trace

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