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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bass — low music
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pop — soda
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bass — the fish
  11. prune — to trim
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pit — in a race
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pop — to visit
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pop — music
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mine — belonging to me

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