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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
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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: pitcher · pop · bass · mate · last · lie · object · present

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — to visit
  4. last — to go on
  5. present — the time now
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mate — a friend
  9. last — final
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — there
  12. pop — music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. object — a thing
  15. last — finally
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — to protest
  19. pop — soda
  20. bass — the fish
  21. object — an aim
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mate — a partner

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