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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. cue — a signal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ball — a dance
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bass — the fish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. march — music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cue — a hint
  12. march — the month
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bass — low music
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. cue — for pool

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