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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mine — for digging
  6. root — of a word
  7. cue — for pool
  8. staff — a stick
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. staff — employees
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. root — the cause
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bat — the animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bass — low music
  24. suit — to fit

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