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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cue — a signal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mug — a face
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ball — a great time

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