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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cue — a hint
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cue — for pool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ball — a dance
  10. club — for dancing
  11. fall — the season
  12. track — a song
  13. fall — to drop
  14. club — for golf
  15. cue — a signal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — a group
  19. rest — what's left
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bass — low music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. track — a path

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