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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. kid — child
  3. mate — a partner
  4. suit — in cards
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bass — low music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mate — a friend
  24. kid — to tease

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