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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stand — to bear
  13. staff — employees
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bound — certain
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bass — low music
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stand — for spectators

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