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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.

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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 · season · pound · stick · ruler · fan · cell · bass

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cell — in biology
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bass — low music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — in a race
  9. season — of the year
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cell — a phone
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bass — the fish

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