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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — high quality
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hand — help
  12. bass — the fish
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mug — a cup
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bear — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. scale — in music
  19. fine — all right
  20. bear — the animal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bass — low music

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