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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. band — a ring
  8. mark — a trace
  9. tube — the underground
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — a container
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bass — the fish
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. band — a music group
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mark — a grade

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