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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — a company
  5. spell — magic
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — in sport
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wake — a trail
  14. spell — letters
  15. net — after costs
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rule — a law
  20. net — for catching
  21. firm — steady
  22. rule — government
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bass — low music

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