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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pop — music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. game — wild animals
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pop — soda
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. rush — hurry
  15. game — a match
  16. bass — low music
  17. pop — to visit
  18. fine — all right

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