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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 120 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: bass · season · bear · spell · dip · pit · straw · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bass — the fish
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — low music
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. season — of the year
  17. present — a gift
  18. spell — letters
  19. pit — a hole
  20. season — in sport
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. present — there
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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