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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: bass · trunk · wound · pit · firm · charge · suit · mate

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. firm — decided
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mate — a partner
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mate — a friend
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wound — an injury
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — electricity
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — in control
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mate — to breed

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