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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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. cue — a hint
  6. fall — the season
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rash — a series
  18. cue — for pool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. craft — boats
  23. rash — hasty
  24. fall — to drop

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