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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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cue — a signal
  5. tube — a container
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pit — in a race
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bass — low music
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bank — for money

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