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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — the fish
  12. board — to get on
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. snap — to click
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — to fit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. board — a committee
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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