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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lie — to recline
  3. net — in sport
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. field — farmland
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. field — for sport
  10. rock — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. net — after costs
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bass — low music
  23. field — a subject
  24. bass — the fish

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