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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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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: saw · wake · pop · bass · season · rock · spring · mate

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. spring — a coil
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — of water
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bass — low music
  7. season — of the year
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rock — music
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pop — music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. season — in sport
  24. spring — the season

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