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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 116 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: bowl · race · firm · bass · face · trunk · sharp · suit

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. suit — in cards
  4. race — a contest
  5. firm — a company
  6. race — the arms race
  7. face — to point toward
  8. suit — to fit
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. race — humankind
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bass — the fish
  19. firm — decided
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bass — low music
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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