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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. track — a path
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. object — a thing
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. last — final
  12. object — to protest
  13. last — to go on
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. track — a song
  19. last — finally
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cue — a hint
  22. object — an aim
  23. track — to keep track
  24. lash — to lash out

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