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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitch — completely
  8. club — for golf
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bass — low music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. club — a group
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rush — hurry
  20. can — a tin
  21. cue — a signal
  22. game — a match
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bass — the fish

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