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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pit · bay · rash · mug · net · bass · content · foot

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. net — for catching
  5. bass — low music
  6. rash — a series
  7. mug — to rob
  8. content — the amount
  9. mug — a face
  10. content — happy
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pit — in a race
  14. net — in sport
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. net — after costs
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rash — hasty

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