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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the fish
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the sport
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mark — a grade
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rest — a break
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. deal — to handle
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fork — in a road
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bass — low music
  24. cue — for pool

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