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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 120 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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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: fall · season · bear · mark · present · sharp · firm · bass

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fall — to drop
  6. season — in sport
  7. fall — the season
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mark — a grade
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bear — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. firm — a company
  16. season — of the year
  17. present — a gift
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mark — to pay attention

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