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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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. club — for golf
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. present — a gift
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bass — low music
  9. cue — a hint
  10. present — the time now
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rash — a series
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. club — for dancing
  16. cue — a signal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rash — hasty
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. club — a group
  24. present — there

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