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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mug — to rob
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bass — low music
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. band — a music group
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mug — a face
  10. face — part of the head
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bear — the animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. band — a ring
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. face — to confront
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. chair — a professorship

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