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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. firm — a company
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bass — low music
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. rule — a law
  7. stand — to bear
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. firm — steady
  12. net — for catching
  13. bass — the fish
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. present — the time now
  16. firm — decided
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. rule — government
  20. net — in sport
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. net — after costs
  24. present — there

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