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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. club — for golf
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. club — a group
  9. squash — the sport
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. club — for dancing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — to crush
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bass — low music

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