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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: mate · fan · toast · bass · mark · racket · lie · can

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. mark — a grade
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bass — low music
  9. toast — bread
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — a tin
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — a tin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. racket — a loud noise

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