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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  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. hand — help
  2. fine — all right
  3. scale — in music
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — in cards
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. firm — steady
  21. pitch — completely
  22. firm — a company
  23. cue — a hint
  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