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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rest — a break
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ground — a position
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bank — for money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ground — crushed
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bass — low music
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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