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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bass — the fish
  5. root — the cause
  6. club — for dancing
  7. root — of a plant
  8. club — a group
  9. wind — moving air
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. cue — a hint
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. root — of a word
  15. bass — low music
  16. current — happening now
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. file — a tool
  20. club — for golf
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. file — a document
  24. cue — a signal

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