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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. bass — the instrument
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. capital — a city
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. key — in music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. key — the most important part
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bass — the fish
  13. race — the arms race
  14. key — for a lock
  15. race — humankind
  16. capital — money
  17. race — a contest
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  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