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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bass — low music
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cap — a lid
  7. stock — shares
  8. face — to confront
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bulb — for light
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cap — a hat
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. face — part of the head
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. face — to point toward

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