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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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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: pit · season · bass · bear · suit · hand · foot · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pit — in a race
  4. season — of the year
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. season — in sport
  13. bass — the fish
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — to fit
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. hand — in cards
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hand — help
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bass — low music

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