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

Word bank: straw · cabinet · last · suit · mate · rest · pound · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bass — low music
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mate — to breed
  11. last — to go on
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. suit — in cards
  16. last — final
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bass — the fish
  19. last — finally
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rest — a break
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — dry grass

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