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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · land · bass · mark · firm · stick · bear · bay

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. firm — decided
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bass — low music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bear — the animal
  12. land — a country
  13. net — for catching
  14. bear — the animal
  15. firm — a company
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. net — in sport
  18. land — to come down
  19. firm — steady
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. net — after costs
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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