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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. land — to come down
  3. rush — hurry
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. hand — help
  9. firm — steady
  10. cue — for pool
  11. hand — in cards
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. firm — a company
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. cue — a hint
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bass — low music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. firm — decided

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