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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: can · bay · trunk · net · rash · cell · object · bass

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rash — a series
  4. object — a thing
  5. rash — hasty
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bass — the fish
  13. net — for catching
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bass — low music
  18. can — a tin
  19. net — after costs
  20. cell — in biology
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. net — in sport
  24. cell — a phone

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