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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bass — low music
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. net — after costs
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. club — for golf
  16. net — for catching
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. net — in sport

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