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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. mug — a face
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bass — the fish
  10. march — music
  11. track — a path
  12. cue — a hint
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. track — a song
  18. cue — for pool
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cue — a signal
  21. march — the month
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. march — the month
  24. bear — the animal

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