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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cap — of ice
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. cap — a hat
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — a lid
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. mug — a cup
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. squash — to crush
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a dance
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mug — a face
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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