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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bass — low music
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bass — the fish
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bank — for money
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. deal — to handle
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bowl — to roll

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