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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. court — of law
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bass — the fish
  9. key — in music
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — to rip
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cue — a hint
  17. key — the most important part
  18. tear — from crying
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. court — for sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. court — of a king
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fan — a supporter

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