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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cue — for pool
  3. field — for sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — the fish
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kick — in football
  12. rock — music
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — a measure
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — a subject
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bass — low music
  24. kick — a thrill

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