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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wake — a trail
  9. kick — in football
  10. mark — a trace
  11. shower — rain
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. shower — to wash
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. staff — employees
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wake — before a funeral

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