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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: mug · club · fall · jam · bass · firm · cabinet · season

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. mug — a cup
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. firm — steady
  14. mug — to rob
  15. fall — the season
  16. mug — a face
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. club — for golf
  19. season — in sport
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. season — of the year
  22. bass — low music
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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