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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ball — a dance
  8. root — of a word
  9. cue — for pool
  10. root — the cause
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bass — the fish
  13. degree — temperature
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. root — of a plant
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cue — a hint
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. degree — an amount
  24. cue — a signal

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