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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. track — to keep track
  5. key — in music
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cue — a hint
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. track — a path
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ground — crushed
  16. cue — a signal
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bass — low music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the fish
  24. charge — electricity

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