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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: staff · fine · mug · present · bass · kid · bowl · cap

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mug — to rob
  4. present — there
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. staff — employees
  10. present — a gift
  11. kid — child
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. mug — a face
  16. kid — to tease
  17. present — the time now
  18. mug — a cup
  19. fine — all right
  20. bass — low music
  21. fine — high quality
  22. cap — of ice
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bowl — a football final

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