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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. can — a tin
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cue — a signal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — final
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. last — to go on
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lie — to recline
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. sharp — clever
  21. wind — moving air
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. last — finally
  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