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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bass — low music
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. bass — the fish
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lie — to recline
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. cell — a phone
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. lie — an untruth

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