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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 116 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
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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cap — a lid
  6. fine — all right
  7. rash — a series
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cap — a hat
  10. squash — to crush
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bass — low music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. key — in music
  18. fine — high quality

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