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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. sharp — clever
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bear — the animal
  6. club — for golf
  7. cue — for pool
  8. game — a match
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bass — low music
  18. cue — a hint
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cue — a signal
  24. game — a kind of play

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