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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 116 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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bass — low music
  14. staff — a stick
  15. cue — a signal
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. hand — help
  19. ball — a dance
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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