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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: dip · deal · march · pit · bear · suit · bass · hand

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. hand — help
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bass — low music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. march — music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. march — the month
  16. pit — in a race
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. hand — in cards
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bass — the fish
  24. deal — a big deal

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