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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bass — low music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bound — obliged
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bass — the fish
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bound — certain
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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