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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 120 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: craft · fork · firm · mate · fine · can · swing · bass

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mate — a friend
  3. swing — to play on
  4. fine — all right
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. firm — a company
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — music
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. craft — boats
  11. mate — a partner
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bass — low music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mate — to breed
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — in golf
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — steady
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fork — a garden tool

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