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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bass — low music
  7. ground — the earth
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ground — crushed
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — a position
  15. snap — to click
  16. cue — a signal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pass — a permit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cue — a hint
  24. hide — animal skin

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