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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. clip — to cut
  3. bass — low music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. clip — a video
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bass — the fish
  10. track — a path
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. track — a song
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bear — the animal
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bore — to drill
  19. squash — the sport
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bore — to tire
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cue — a signal

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