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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. rush — hurry
  3. key — in music
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. cue — for pool
  7. firm — decided
  8. key — for a lock
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cue — a signal
  12. kid — child
  13. key — the most important part
  14. saw — the tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cue — a hint
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bass — low music

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