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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cue — a signal
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fine — all right
  8. land — ground
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — a match
  11. land — a country
  12. fine — high quality
  13. club — a group
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. club — for golf
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. land — to come down
  20. cue — a hint
  21. club — for dancing
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bass — the instrument

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