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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. object — to protest
  3. row — to paddle
  4. present — a gift
  5. object — an aim
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. club — for golf
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. object — a thing
  16. club — for dancing
  17. row — a line
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bass — low music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. present — there
  23. club — a group
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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