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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fine — high quality
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bulb — for light
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — goods
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bass — low music
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bound — certain
  23. stock — shares
  24. cue — a signal

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