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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. date — the fruit
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bass — low music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. dip — to sink
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. chair — a leader
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bass — the fish
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cue — for pool
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. date — on the calendar

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