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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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Word bank
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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — low music
  7. mug — to rob
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — a face
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rule — a law
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rule — government
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cue — a hint

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