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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bass — the fish
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — to crush
  6. root — of a plant
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. root — of a word
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — for pool
  13. ball — a dance
  14. root — the cause
  15. squash — the sport
  16. current — electric
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bass — low music
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. current — of water
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cue — a hint

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