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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.

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: snap · stand · ball · mine · bass · dip · fine · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ball — a dance
  7. snap — to click
  8. bass — the fish
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bass — low music
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ball — a great time
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. fine — all right
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. bass — the instrument

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