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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. present — the time now
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. bank — for money
  10. bass — low music
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. squash — to crush
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cue — a signal
  22. present — a gift
  23. bank — of a river
  24. jam — a tight spot

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