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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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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: bass · cell · dip · season · march · mug · firm · nail

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. march — music
  4. cell — in biology
  5. season — of the year
  6. bass — the fish
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. march — the month
  9. bass — low music
  10. firm — a company
  11. season — in sport
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mug — a face
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. march — the month
  18. dip — to sink
  19. firm — steady
  20. mug — a cup
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. firm — decided
  23. cell — a phone
  24. mug — to rob

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