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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ground — a position
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cue — a hint
  13. key — in music
  14. ground — crushed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cue — for pool
  18. ground — the earth
  19. track — a song
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bass — the fish
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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