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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 116 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the fish
  6. key — in music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mark — a grade
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a trace
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bass — low music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cue — a signal
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mark — to pay attention

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