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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. object — a thing
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — to protest
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. mark — a trace
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mark — a grade

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