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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the fish
  3. net — after costs
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. key — for a lock
  12. net — for catching
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. cue — a signal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. branch — a division
  20. cue — a hint
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. key — in music
  23. deal — to handle
  24. net — in sport

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