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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.

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: pit · cabinet · wave · face · spell · bass · band · lie

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — the fish
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. band — a music group
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bass — low music
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. pit — a hole
  13. spell — letters
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pit — in a race
  18. face — part of the head
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. spell — a short time
  22. band — a ring
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — magic

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