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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · fan · jam · kick · bear · mark · dip · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. mate — to breed
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bass — the fish
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. kick — in football
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — low music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bear — the animal

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