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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. cue — a hint
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. squash — the sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cue — a signal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. kid — child
  19. kid — to tease
  20. cue — for pool
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a dance

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