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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rock — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — the cause
  5. track — a song
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. fine — all right
  9. root — of a plant
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. face — part of the head
  16. track — a path
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cue — for pool
  22. root — of a word
  23. bass — low music
  24. face — to confront

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